2013 Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon Preview – Will A Debutante Shine Yet Again?
The 2013 running season begins in earnest tonight – will a talented veteran like Martin Lel win or will a newcomer steal the show?
*Watch Live For Free Starting at 9 PM ET (Race starts at 10 pm ET)
By LetsRun.com
January 24, 2013
December and January are lean months for running fans as not much of significance happens in the two months after Thanksgiving in the US. But we’ve got good news. The off-season unofficially ends tonight.
In recent years, the new year and new season has seemingly begun at the Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon and the 2013 edition takes place tonight at 10 pm ET (7:00 am Friday Dubai time). Thanks to a generous prize fund that is fast approaching $1 million, Dubai has become a big race.
Last year’s Dubai action was stunning. The 2012 Dubai Marathon was the fastest marathon in history by far. 4 men broke 2:05, 8 broke 2:06 and 15 broke 2:09 as the fastest-ever times for places were recorded in spots three through 17.
Defending men’s champ Ayale Abshero (2:04:23) is injured and not back to defend his title and 2:03:06 man Moses Mosop was a late scratch as “family problems’ have kept in Kenya.
But that doesn’t mean Dubai isn’t stacked. There are twelve sub-2:08 guys in the field including:
Martin Lel – One of the all-time greats in marathoning. Before Sammy Wanjiru arrived as a star at the 2008 Olympics, the biggest star in the world of marathoning was Kenya’s Martin Lel. Lel won London three times – 2005, 2007 amd 2008 – and that 2008 win came at the expense of Wanjiru. He won New York two times – 2003 and 2007. He’s getting up there in age and is veyr injury prone as he missed basically all of 2009 and 2010, but when he does race, watch out. He was 2nd in London last spring.
Yemane Adhane (also known as Yemane Tsegay) – Rotterdam winner at 2:04:27 last year.
Dadi Yami – Ran 2:05:41 last year in Dubai to get 6th. Was 8th in Chicago in 2:07:43.
There is another guy in the field of note who has never broken 2:10 but is of note – 2:10:13 man Moses Masai – the bronze medallist in the 10,000 at the 2009 world champs (the IAAF preview of the race says Masai is making his debut – that is false. He’s run several marathons).
More interesting is the fact there a number of very interesting debutantes to pay attenton to. Afterall, remember last year Ayale Abshero’s win last year came in his debut (the fastest debut ever on a records-eligible course).
We aren’t the only one’s excited about the guys making their debuts. Ryan Hall’s coach Renato Canova recently wrote on Alberto Stretti’s blog, “i am focused on some important debuts as Lelisa Desisa (59’30 on half) told me in great shape from my ethiopian friends, Mike Kigen (60’18 in GreatNorthRun), Bernard Koech (Ken) and Nicholas KipKemboi (Ken)who i have seen live as winner in SevenHillsLoop in Nijmegen(Hol) last november and i was absolutely impressed by him.”
Let’s take a look at each of those newcomers:
Lelisa Desisa – Last year, the 23-year old twice ran under 27:20 on the track for 10,000 including at Hengelo where he was just .28 behind eventual bronze medallist Tariku Bekele. In 2011, twice ran in the 59:30s for 13.1 in 2011. If he’s name sounds familiar, it may be because he made a name for himself on the US road scene in 2010 and 2011. In 2011, he won more than $18,000 in a single weekend as he smashed the 16-year old course record at Washington, DC’s Cherry Blossom Run by running 45:36 – the day after winning $10,000 at the Cooper Bridge Run. In 2010, he won Bolder Boulder and Boilermaker (More: What can anyone tell me about Lelisa Desisa).
Mike Kigen – The 27-year old ran 27:03 in Brussels last year. He has a 59:58 half pb and ran 60:18 at the Great North Run in September. He’s run 12:58 for 5000 as well and was 5th at World XC in 2006.
Bernard Koech – The 22-year old Kenyan twice broke 60:00 last year including a 59:10 showing in Lille that made him the 19th fastest 13.1 man in history.
Nicholas Kipkemboi – Our results database –http://www.tilastopaja.org – shows zero results for the relatively unkown Kenyan before 2012. In Berlin in April, he ran 60:15 for the half. Then the Kenyan put up a big result at the 15km Seven Hills race in Njmegen in the Netherlands on November 18th as he defeated the world record holder at 15km, Leonard Komon, by 17-seconds. The race garnered little attention on LetsRun or in the US as it was held on the same day as NCAA cross country but Canova was there and impressed.
It should be an interesting race to watch and best of all you can watch it all at a reasonable time and for free. Watching HSers at the Armory may now cost you $20 but you can watch the world’s best for free from a television quality broadcast. The marathon starts at 10 PM ET tonight but race coverage begins at 9 pm ET.
The women’s race isn’t as strong as the men’s as it only features five sub-2:25 performers. Tirfi Tsegaye twice ran 2:21 last year (won in Paris, 2nd in Berlin) and is the favorite in terms of seasoned marathoners. But the IAAF preview says Federico Rosa likes the chances of his athlete Ayalew Wude who is debuting and we can see why. Wude – the 2009 world championship bronze medallist at 10,000 – has run 14:38/30:11 and 67:58 for 5/10 and 13.1.
Below you will see the updated elite fields for both men and then what we believe is the prize money the prize money.
More: MB: Official 2013 Dubai Marathon Discussion Thread
*MB: What can anyone tell me about Lelisa Desisa
*IAAF Preview of 2013 Dubai
*2013 Dubai Marathon Media Guide
Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon 2013
Elite Athletes MEN
BIB Name Country Bib Name PB
1 Yemane Tsegay Adhane Ethiopia TSEGAY 2:04:47
2 Dadi Yami Gemeda Ethiopia YAMI 2:05:41
3 Philip Kimutai Sanga Kenya SANGA 2:06:07
4 Sisay Jisa Mekonnen Ethiopia JISA 2:06:27
5 Tadese Tola Woldegeberel Ethiopia TOLA 2:06:31
6 Chela Dechase Beyene Ethiopia DECHASE 2:06:33
7
8 Eshetu Wendimu Tsige Ethiopia WENDIMU 2:06:46
9 Isaac Macharia Wanjohi Kenya MACHARIA 2:07:17
10 Hailu Mekonnen Legesse Ethiopia MEKONNEN 2:07:35
11 Gemechu Worku Biru Ethiopia BIRU 2:07:43
12 Stephen Chebogut Kenya CHEBOGUT 2:08:02
13 Berhanu Shiferaw Tolcha Ethiopia SHIFERAW 2:08:51
14 Evans Kiplagat Barkowet Kenya BARKOWET 2:09:22
15 Endeshaw Negesse Shumi Ethiopia NEGESSE 2:09:59
16 Moses Ndiema Masai Kenya MASAI 2:10:13
17 Azmeraw Bekele Molalign Ethiopia BEKELE 2:10:25
18 Cosmers Kibet Kemboi Kenya KEMBOI 2:10:33
19 Tesfaalem Gebrearegawi Mehari Ethiopia GEBRE 2:10:35
20 Habtamu Assefa Wakeyo Ethiopia ASSEFA 2:10:55
21 Yakob Jarso Kintra Ethiopia JARSO 2:11:13
22 Girmay Birhanu Gebru Ethiopia BERHANU 2:12:51
23 Afewerk Mesfin Woldetensae Ethiopia MESFIN 1:01:50 H
24 Bernard Kiprop Koech Kenya KOECH 59:10 H-DB
25 Lelisa Desisa Benti Ethiopia DESISA 59:30:00
26 Mike Kipruto Kigen Kenya KIGEN 59:58 H
27 Belay Asefa Bedada Ethiopia BEDADA 60:59 H
28 Nicholas Kipkemboi Kenya KIPKEMBOI DEBUT
29 Mohammed Delile Awol Ethiopia AWOL
30 Ahmed Gobena Gemeda Ethiopia GEMEDA
31 Kelali Negusse Abrha Ethiopia NEGUSSE
32 Dereje Tesfaye Gebrehiwot Ethiopia GEBREHIWOT 2:08:36
33 Legesse Lamiso Yoota Ethiopia LAMISO
34 Andualem Belay Shiferaw Ethiopia SHIFERAW 60:10 – H
35 Wosen Zeleke Demse Ethiopia ZELEKE
36 Herpasa Negasa Kitesa Ethiopia KITESA
37 Gebrekidan Egziabher Abadi Ethiopia ABADI
40 Tsegaye Mekonnen Asefa Ethiopia MEKONNEN PACE
41 David Kemboi Kiyeng Kenya KIYENG PACE
50 Birhanu Dare Kemal Ethiopia KEMAL PACE
51 Bekele Adugna Taffa Ethiopia ADUGNA PACE
52 Hussen Gose Betusa Ethiopia GOSE PACE
53 Timon Kiplagat Biwott Kenya BIWOTT PACE
54 Kasim Adilo Ethiopia ADILO PACE
Elite Athletes WOMEN
W1 Tirfi Tsegaye Beyene Ethiopia TSEGAYE 2:21:19
W2 Mamitu Daska Molisa Ethiopia DASKA 2:21:59
W3 Koren Jelela Yal Ethiopia JELELA 2:22:43
W4 Issabellah Andersson Sweden ANDERSSON 2:23:41
W5 Amane Gobena Gemeda Ethiopia GOBENA 2:24:13
W6 Shitaye Bedasa Ordofa Ethiopia BEDASA 2:25:09
W7 Alevtina Ivanova Russia IVANOVA 2:26:38
W8 Kateryna Stetsenko Ukraine STETSENKO 2:27:51
W9 Misaki Katsumata Japan KATSUMATA 2:28:01
W10 Beata Naigambo Namibia NAIGAMBO 2:29:20
W11 Ehitu Kiros Reda Ethiopia KIROS 2:33:43
W12 Abebech Afework Bekele Ethiopia AFEWORK 2:39:05
W13 Leila Luik Estonia LEILA LUIK 2:40:12
W14 Liina Luik Estonia LIINA LUIK 2:45:02
W15 Belaynesh Oljira Jemama Ethiopia OLJIRA 1:07:27 H
W16 Wude Ayalew Yimer Ethiopia AYALEW 1:07:58 H
W17 Aheza Kiros Abeye Ethiopia KIROS 69:10 H
Prize Money:
1st | 200,000 | 200,000 |
2nd | 80,000 | 80,000 |
3rd | 40,000 | 40,000 |
4th | 20,000 | 20,000 |
5th | 12,000 | 12,000 |
6th | 11,200 | 11,200 |
7th | 10,400 | 10,400 |
8th | 9,600 | 9,600 |
9th | 8,800 | 8,800 |
10th | 8,000 | 8,000 |